Taking the First Step: Developing Material For Your Act
Last time out, I talked about booking and attending your first open mike. This article will delve into more detail about how to prepare your material and, more importantly, to prepare for your time on stage.
Again, I'm not going to discuss any of the technical aspects of joke-writing, for two reasons: first, there are other resources that can do that significantly better than I can (see the recommended book list); and, secondly, writing comedy is an intensely personal process. Most comedians have different styles, different schedules, and different interpretations of what's funny, so what works for me may be simply worthless for half my readers (meaning that guy in Idaho). My best advice along these lines is to remember that writing material is purely a trial-and-error process. I've written jokes that I think are the funniest thing ever that have never worked anywhere, and I have three or four jokes in my thirty-minute set that I personally do not think are remotely funny. Keep everything you think of in a notebook and try it on stage. You might be surprised.
What I will discuss here is preparing for your first open mic, though I think the rules apply to any beginning comedian. Here goes:
1. Rehearse before your set. Repeatedly. The most uncomfortable, awkward set I ever did was my first one - in my friend's living room, to an audience of one, doing my material into a spatula. While a spatula and a one-woman audience are not required per se for your rehearsals, you want to get your material down cold. You should have memorized your material, and you should use a mirror to manage your stage presence. Do you pace too much? Is the microphone (or, in my case, a spatula or a vacuum cleaner extension) near your face? Are you engaging the audience, or looking at your shoes? Rehearsing not just the material, but the presentation will make your first set immensely easier. Particularly because...
2. You will be very nervous, most likely. There are some people who simply enjoy the spotlight, and the fact that for a few minutes they hold everyone's attention. Most of us, however, spend the days and hours before our first show accompanied by butterflies, fear, self-doubt, and an odd sense of anticipation. I was so nervous before my first bringer show (actually my second show) that I literally walked off stage after performing and could not remember doing the set. To this day, all I remember are two jokes that got halfway decent laughs and just for a moment thinking, "You know, this is kind of cool," before reverting back into a terrified trance. Just remember - nerves are OK, and normal. I still get nervous before shows, particularly for new bookers, new clubs, or if I have friends or family in the audience. If it didn't make you nervous, it wouldn't be any fun. All that said...
Latest Articles